FAQ on EAS

October, 21, 2010
On September 30, 2010, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the adoption of major changes to the Emergency Alert System (EAS), incorporating a new digital messaging format, the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). Broadcasters will have 180 days from the date of the announcement to comply with the new requirements.

Chapter Administration

Program Ideas for SBE Chapters

Local SBE chapters meetings provide great opportunities for members to learn about new or existing technology, regulatory issues and other topics of interest. In an effort to make meeting planning easier, the SBE National Office has created a list of chapter program ideas to help local chapters with meeting topics.

Board/Chapter Liaisons

An SBE board member is assigned to each chapter to serve as a primary contact. Click here to find your liaison. Contact your board liaison anytime you have a question or concern regarding SBE national policies, to request help for your chapter or to suggest an idea.

Chapter Finances

Chapter Rebate – Qualifying chapters receive an annual cash rebate of a portion of the national membership dues paid by regular, senior and associate members. Rebates are paid on June 1 each year to chapters who have met at least five times during the previous year and provided documentation to the National Office of the program content and attendance.

Chapter Bank Accounts - Federal banking laws require an IRS-issued, Employer Identification Number (EIN), although chapters do not employ anyone, to open a bank account for your chapter. An EIN is easy to obtain and can be done online, as well as by phone, fax or mail. We have prepared an easy "just for SBE chapters" EIN line-by-line instruction sheet to help you complete the on-line form.

Chapter Email Remailer

Beginning March 1, 2016, the Society of Broadcast Engineers began offering a new benefit to SBE chapters: a free chapter email list to any interested SBE chapter. Use of this benefit is optional. Many chapters already have their own chapter email list (or remailer). Chapters are welcome to continue to use what they have, or may switch to this new benefit at any time. Read the details on procedures and rules of use. To request a mail list for chapter use, contact John Poray at the SBE national office at 317-846-9000.

Chapter Calendar on SBE National Website

Each chapter has a calendar on the SBE National website. The calendar is intended to help prospective members, vendors, the media and others, learn the details of your chapter’s upcoming meetings.

Chapter chairman may obtain their chapter login information to gain administrative access to the chapter calendar on the SBE website. Only chapter chairmen may contact the SBE to obtain the login information.

SBE Logos

SBE chapters and members may use the official SBE logo on chapter newsletters, websites, meeting report forms, etc. Members may use the official logo to indicate their status as an active member on business cards, personal web sites, letterhead, etc. Click here to download the official logo and for instructions on correct usage.